THE SENATOR'S WIFE

Chapter IX - Never a Shallow Mind

She allowed Gene to take the lead in Tristan's search. For the last time, she had to be a bitch to almost everyone for them to work even harder.

She was now in the car alone with Curtis.

"How are you here?"

"You called me before the whole comma thing."

"I did?"

"Speed dial I guess. I had enough time to track you."

"But not enough time to rescue me."

"Just enough time."

"Thank you still. You never failed me."

"That's how much I love you Camie."

Nagbuntong hininga siya sa tinuran nito.

"So where is she?"

"Sanya is back in the underground."

"And Savannah?

"We're about to meet her."

Sa ilang saglit ay huminto sila sa tapat ng isang building. She stared out the window as she saw how there were reporters surrounding the building.

She somehow expected it but was amused as how they knew she was going to get there.

"I never realized this is how popular Tristan is."

"You have no idea. Mas naging kilala siya nang magsimula ang paghahanap sa kanya. Somehow it created a wonderful impact in his campaign and yet still no one could find him."

Nagbuntong hininga siya and as soon as she thought she already had the strength, she got out of the car and prepared for all the flashes of the cameras. They were everyone she could ever know from the industry. From the people who were at her own wedding to the people who are surrounding their property just to get the newest news from her and her husband. Somehow ay natuto siyang masanay but also she's getting annoyed. It was getting too distracting for her. 

As soon as she stepped out of the car, she was bombarded with all of their questions. But only one stood out. 

"Is Tristan dead?"

Doon ay napalingon siya and her interest was aroused. She faced all of them.

"You don't really have to answer that." Curtis managed to whisper it to her. 

"Listen to this, and I want you to listen very carefully. My husband is known for being cunning and relentless. He is never one who would have a shallow mind about all of these things. He is intelligent and I know in my gut that he is not dead. He will never be."

She turned her back from them and proceeded to go inside the building. She was feeling nauseous all of a sudden. She even had to gran Curtis' arms to make sure she'll get it together.

Maya-maya lang ay nakarating sila sa isang pulang pintuan. Suddenly a man in black suit appeared from somewhere and opened the door for them.

Paunti-unti ay bumungad sa kanila si Savannah. She cut hair shorter and turned it into an ash blonde colored hair.

She looked even more beautiful. Her hair as dark as snow white's now gone.

She looked even more fierce with her new look.

"We meet again Camie. Take a seat."

Camie chose to remain standing up while Savannah rested her back on her chair. She took out a cigarette and started lighting it.

"How can I help both of you?"

"Do you know that you have a sister?"

Bumuga ng usok si Savannah mula sa kanyang sigarilyo.

"I know. I heard about it from my crazy ex-husband, Frank."

"Then you must also know that she is in danger right now."

"Aren't you supposed to be more concerned of your husband than my sister? Up until now hindi pa rin nahahanap si Tristan so why bother with my sister? Aren't you taking too much into your plate right now? I even wonder how Faith is. O baka naman pati siya napabayaan mmo na rin."

With all her force she tapped her hand in her table. Bagay na hindi man nakagulat kay Savannah ay nakakuha ng atensyon nito.

"I have too much in my plate right now indeed. All because I messed up. But never forget king sino ang responsable sa lahat ng 'to. The moment you stole my child everything went way too complicated. I am here because you took her away from me, bartered her for your freedom and here I am caught up in all this mess."

That was when Savannah sat up straight. Pinatay niya ang nakasinding sigarilyo. She slowly stood up and faced Camie.

"Don't force yourself too much Camie. Hindi la pa magaling." she took a deep breathe and looked at Camie with great admiration. "I know where she is and that Frank is the one at fault. I knew what I am in and I cover my tracks all the time, including family ties."

"Ano'ng ibig mong sabihin?"

"I've met Sanya before. Way back when we were just kids. I got curious about her and when I got to my teenage years, I used my father's resources to dig up everything about her. That's how I found out about her."

"What do you mean?"

"This... all of this is part of a plan. Her being the future senator's assistant, me becoming a part of my father's mafia, for the longest time we've been working on bringing down my father. That one man who may have messed us up so bad."

Curtis then stood up.

"How is that possible?"

"Morse codes. Every month of every year, we sent each other an email or sms all in morse codes. No more than 100 sequence. Brief, but concise. Every year we meet each other in a remote island. To give updates to each other. I know this may sound impossible but with an entire mafia as your enemies, wala kang ibang lugar na pwedeng maiisip kung saan ligtas ka."

"How could everything get this far?"

"You were a liability Camie. If I didn't steal your child, you would have been dead already."

"Why? Paano ako'ng nasali? All I knew was that I was just having an affair with your husband and that is all. How could I become one of their target?"

"I came back to the country because of you and Dalton. To them you were both liabilities, and they hate liabilities. They were rooting for me to create his empire. To them I was ruthless, but I was still inlove. I found out that you two were a target. Lahat ng ginawa ko no matter how stupid it may seem were a part of an alternate plan. I stole your daughter and gave it to Tristan because he was their future. A mafia member who rose up to the political side of it all and their best ally."

She suddenly felt a slap in her face.

"Ano'ng ginawa ko sa'yo para madamay sa lahat ng gulo mo?"

"You were that innocent person who is caught up in all of this Camie. I'm sorry. Kayong dalawa. I guess whatever happens, you will always be a part of it. Kahit ano'ng gawin ko, palagi kang nadadamay. I guess you and I are meant to be together to fight this battle."

Camie stared at her with pain and disgust all at the same time. She was furious of everything.

Maya-maya lang ay tumunog ang cellphone niya. She answered the phone without even seeing who it was.

"Yes. That's good to know. No worries. I will take care of it."

Then she turned off her phone and looked at Curtis.

"We have to go."

Tumango si Curtis sa tinuran ng kaibigan.

"And as for you, we're not done yet. But I truly hope that when I come back, Sanya is out of that hellhole. Coz if not, I will get her out of there personally will forget everytjing that I believe as a woman."

She stepped out of the room with all her raging hate and anger.

As she was already seated inside the car, she suddenly burst into tears.

Curtis sat there with her, with his arms around her ready to comfort her.